Summer School 2014 Courses (6-11 January) - Register Online

A fun and inspiring workshop experimenting with acrylic and watercolour paint, creating a variety of effects and exploring the vivid and brilliant world of colour in the theme of Animalia.

Slavica Zivkovic is a printmaker and painter, contributing regularly to exhibitions throughout Australia and overseas. Slavica has been involved in many community arts projects and is manager of Sturt Gallery. Slavica is also a popular children’s art teacher at the Bowral and District Art Society and at Sturt Summer Schools.

Slavica Zivkovic is a printmaker and painter, contributing regularly to exhibitions throughout Australia and overseas. Slavica has been involved in many community arts projects and is manager of Sturt Gallery. Slavica is also a popular children’s art teacher at the Bowral and District Art Society and at Sturt Summer Schools.

Get creative with sculpture! In this course with a difference, you will explore cubic sculptures in cardboard, exploring design, construction methods, and experimenting with colours and shapes to create wonderfully inventive work.

Slavica Zivkovic is a printmaker and painter, contributing regularly to exhibitions throughout Australia and overseas. Slavica has been involved in many community arts projects and is manager of Sturt Gallery. Slavica is also a popular children’s art teacher at the Bowral and District Art Society and at Sturt Summer Schools.

Sculpt a fantasy four-legged garden creature, incorporating a ‘garden pot’ within its back exploring the qualities of clay and colour.

Sue Meredith studied Creative Arts at TAFE and University of Wollongong and have been involved in multiple exhibitions throughout the region. Sue said the main inspiration for her work came from colours, light, shapes and forms. She also teaches art classes locally for children and adults.

Age:7-12 years | Cost: $95 (inclusive – morning tea and lunch provided) | Work will be fired in the Sturt kilns after the workshop is finished.

Using both slab construction, drape moulds and coiling techniques, design, create and decorate a small table setting: cups, plates or a crazy ‘teapot’ – enjoy a fun day in clay, experimenting with decoration and design.

Sue Meredith studied Creative Arts at TAFE and University of Wollongong and have been involved in multiple exhibitions throughout the region. Sue said the main inspiration for her work came from colours, light, shapes and forms. She also teaches art classes locally for children and adults.

Age: 7-12 years | Cost: $95 (inclusive – morning tea and lunch provided) | Work will be fired in the Sturt kilns after the workshop is finished.

Get creative with sculpture! In this course with a difference, you will explore cubic sculptures in cardboard, exploring design, construction methods, and experimenting with colours and shapes to create wonderfully inventive work.

Saturday 6 January – Cactus-backed creatures with Sue Meredith

Sculpt a fantasy four-legged garden creature, incorporating a ‘garden pot’ within its back exploring the qualities of clay and colour.

Sunday 7 January – For the table: children’s clay with Sue Meredith
Using both slab construction, drape moulds and coiling techniques, design, create and decorate a small table setting: cups, plates or a crazy ‘teapot’ – enjoy a fun day in clay, experimenting with decoration and design.

In this introductory course you will explore different drawing mediums: graphite, ink, charcoal and gouache, exploring a range of traditional and experimental techniques. The course will expose you to new ideas and improve your drawing confidence. Over the week you will create a folio of drawings from quick sketches to longer projects focusing on your area of interest.

Naomi Zouwer is an experienced Arts Educator and cross-disciplinary artist who works with drawing, painting, and textile mediums to make works that engage with ideas of identity, cultural heritage and the social role of domestic objects.

The study of objects in detail gives great insight into subjects that are often taken for granted and provides the opportunity to explore more experimental and personal image-making. Starting with the construction of a simple artist’s book, you will record carefully researched, small studies of exotic flowers and other treasures from the natural environment to develop imaginative mixed-media drawings with students encouraged to scale-up the studies to works larger than life size.

Suzanne Archer has been exhibiting nationally and has been the winner of many art awards. Her work is included in many public and private collections throughout Australia and she is represented by Nicholas Thompson Gallery in Melbourne.

Extend your ideas, drawing and mixed media skills to make a more emotive and individual response to portraiture. Either work from yourself with a mirror or with photos. You will create detailed preliminary studies including collage and monotypes that will provide the starting point for developing your initial studies into finished drawings or mixed media works investigating pose, character, personality and mood. Bring accessories: hats, scarves and more to explore different aspects of character and personality and as a fun way to get going.

David Fairbairn has exhibited extensively throughout Australia & overseas and has been awarded many prizes. David has taught at many art schools and is represented by Port Jackson Print Gallery in Melbourne.

Learn how to paint plein air landscapes with great effect. Starting with an outdoors drawing session, you will learn how to get started, developing your drawing into a study and then into the final stage – creating a painting from the study. Amanda will do demonstrations as well as offer plenty of technical information and tips on how to get the most out of plein air painting.

Amanda Penrose Hart has been painting for over 30 years and is exceptional in ‘packing lightly’, traveling and painting. Amanda has exhibited broadly and was the recent winner of 2017 Gallipoli Art Prize. Her work is in public and private collections across Australia and she is represented by King Street Gallery on William, Sydney.

Peter Day has had over 30 solo exhibitions and more than 200 public art commissions, with work held in many collections nationally and internationally. A Churchill Fellow, Peter has taught in most universities in NSW and has extensive technical knowledge in paint manipulation and colour theory. He has been developing the merging of traditional art practices and digital technologies in portraiture and landscape painting.

A practical search for solutions in the ‘Still Life’ genre with an emphasis on composition, tone and colour decisions to finely detailed finished work with a respect for individual style. Working in acrylics, we use seasonal fruit, foliage, vegetables, china and linen as props. Learn to make big decisions about small things! The process is both meditative and exhausting.

Charlotte Thodey has exhibited her work for over 25 years and has produced a number of posters for the Botanic Gardens and Historic Houses Trust as well as devising and illustrating books. Charlotte regularly teaches classes at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney and exhibits her work in Australia and France.

Explore and develop your own style of watercolour painting, discovering your own unique voice. Savva will reinforce the basics of perspective and drawing, mixing paints and tonal values going on to demonstrate capturing light and how to paint shadows. Painting plein air (weather permitting) and from photographs, students will be shown how to simplify complex scenes, drawing and painting landscapes, cityscapes and reflections.

Savva, born in Sydney, lived and studied law and fine arts in Athens, Greece, returning to Australia to continue his studies. With a career as a professional photographer, Savva travelled extensively throughout the world, photographing and painting and has returned to his initial passion of painting, including teaching and conducting workshops around the world.

Learn the basics in Celtic and Gothic calligraphy styles with simple bookbinding. Explore modern and medieval methods to lay gold leaf and burnish it and to make paint from semi-precious stones. You will learn ancient and modern techniques for creating illuminated capital letters and borders. A wide choice of decorative projects will be offered suitable for framing, a gift, or design your own in this course. Equally suitable for beginners and those with experience.

Peter Taylor is a highly experienced teacher who initially studied in London with the Society of Scribes and Illuminators. His professional practice includes many prestigious commissions and four calligraphy and papercrafts books published in Australia, UK and NZ.

Explore the creation of textures associated with the ocean, sand and sky. While learning the basics of line, tone, colour and edge you will investigate composition techniques. Understanding how to create mood from colour and tone theory - stormy days to subtle sunrises and learn how the sky dominates a landscape and your pallet. Use a variety of coloured papers and underpainting techniques to explore the versatility and potential of pastel.

Tricia Taylor, master pastellist and international tutor, has been working with pastel for over 20 years. Best known for her seascapes and international plein air painting tours, Tricia has won many awards with her work published in a variety of national art magazines.

This workshop brings together all the elements of printmaking, book binding and box making. Students will be introduced to basic mono-print making techniques that incorporate drawing and collage. The book binding component will allow students the option of formulating their prints into a book form or make a journal - stitched into a hard cover book.

Glen Skien is highly respected within the national printmaking community. Renowned for the delicacy and sensitivity of his images, Glen’s work has lyrical narrative. With over 25 years’ experience, Glen has exhibited widely with work held in public and private collections throughout Australia and Japan. Glen has extensive teaching experience, facilitating workshops in high schools, various community groups as well as lecturing at Griffith University, Queensland.

Hone your photographic skills, learn new ones and develop your knowledge of the histories, practice and ideology of photography taking your work to the next level. Via a number of practical demonstrations you will be guided to undertake a still life, a portrait image and a landscape considering the variables of lighting, including the construction of an effective light scrim. This course is ideal for those students interested in photographing their own art works.

Greg Piper, an industry professional, has been a practising photographer for over 45 years, including Photographic Manager, Powerhouse Museum complex, advertising and commercial photographer and a teacher in various TAFEs. Greg’s wit, frankness and convivial guidance will have you challenging yourself by the end of the week.

Learn the basics of dyeing with a range of natural dyes, both commercially and locally sourced, understanding the processes of pre-mordanting fabrics and fibres before dyeing, going on to explore the process of printing with mordants and then naturally dyeing cloths. This course will focus on small samples; however, students will gain the experience and knowledge of these processes in order to pursue their own projects in the future.

Julie Ryder is a textile designer, artist and educator practising for over 24 years, with her work gaining international recognition. She exhibits regularly both nationally and internationally and her work is represented in many public and private collections across the world.

Focusing on developing ideas and imagery for woven tapestry, learn the techniques of knotting, wrapping, cut and loop pile and weaving on additional warps to create textured tapestry. Experimenting with a variety of materials, colour and surface quality, you will explore the full possibilities of tapestry weave.

Valerie Kirk, Head of Textiles at the Australian National University, is an important international figure in the field of contemporary tapestry, having made a significant contribution as an artist, writer, teacher and public figure, forging valuable links with the Scottish tradition and global field.

Learn to weave your own textured fabric using simple techniques and amazing yarns that shrink, collapse, felt, pleat and stretch, using a double warp beam, double weave technique or even simple plain weave to create contemporary fabrics to wear or for the home. You will have the opportunity to play on pre-warped looms, experimenting with weaving techniques, going on to select your favourite techniques and yarns to weave your own project.

Sue Walker enjoys a variety of textile arts that involve thread, yarn or fabric, with a passion for hand weaving. Sue has taught in a variety of educational contexts including school, TAFE and university and runs an online business, YarnHub, selling weaving and knitting supplies.

Learn a modern interpretation of the traditional stake and strand method of basketry. Undertaking small exercises, explore bases, shaping sides and options for patterning. Learn the difference between straight randing, paired twining, fitching, french randing and wales. Undertake a major project in cane and foraged willow – learn dyeing cane naturally, do some basic leatherwork for straps or adorn your basket with driftwood or rainforest vine for a more sculptural finish.

Harriet Goodall is a sculptor and weaver. She has worked with indigenous weavers in several countries and is passionate about the possibilities for preserving ancient cultures through craft projects, passing on skills through teaching contemporary basketry techniques. Harriet’s work combines recycled materials with found and foraged plants.

Explore the many serendipitous sculpture combinations when using a variety of materials. Expand your confidence with using and combining metals, wood, leather, stone, plastic, fibres and more. Be guided through the process of experimentation, design, form and finish, developing your understanding about the nature of materials, sketch design, sculpture forming, surfacing including colour and presentation of work as free standing, wall work, etc.

Mary Kayser’s career has expanded for 30 years with a professional art practice that includes furniture design and creation. Mary’s outdoor sculptures are featured around Canberra in numerous public spaces and she exhibits regularly, nationally and internationally.

Look at folding as a design element! Working with paper to prototype and perforation of metal as a low tech decorative solution you will learn how to create objects and jewellery in the folded form. Learn techniques for folding, scoring, die folding and hammering as well as associated jewellery skills: saw piercing, soldering and roller embossing, going on to create your own project.

Christian Hall is a designer and maker specialising in metal. His work encompasses jewellery, objects, sculpture and furniture, combining hand making with digital and industrial processes. Christian is the creative director of the JamFactory Jewellery and Metal Studio, Adelaide, designing and manufacturing items contributing to its product range, creating bespoke commissioned work and overseeing the educational program and workshop.

The use of textile techniques worked in metal wires is ancient; the fields of textiles and jewellery have evolved together over the centuries. Delving into the history and its technical vocabulary, complete a series of small jewellery pieces, exploring Viking Knitting, free-form knitting in fine wire and a crochet hook, braiding and bobbin lace with its endless structural possibilities. Learn the tricks of the trade as well as the versatility of each technique, make several samples and a finished piece.

Angharad Rixon is a technical textile historian specialising in lace and passementeire; her studies in Italy, Switzerland and Spain have led to her skills in a wide variety of off-loom techniques. Angharad regularly lectures in Milan and Florence and consults for various museums and universities around the world.

Expand your repertoire when making tableware. In this course you will learn a variety of wheel-throwing* and altering techniques, focusing on tableware, design and function. With plenty of hands-on instruction and tricks of the trade, Chris will guide you to learn skills he has developed over 40 years as a studio potter in New Zealand.

Chris Weaver is renowned for the exquisite form and function of his tableware. Born and raised in New Zealand, Chris has won several major awards and gained national and international recognition for his work. Chris’s work is represented in many public and private collections and he has taught extensively, within New Zealand as well as overseas.

Learn to ‘draw’ textural imagery into the clay surface using carving, incising, sgraffito, water erosion and inlay techniques. This comprehensive course guides you through a printmaking approach to composition and includes tool making. Explore mark making on samples, before going on to plan and produce 4-6 ceramic forms using slab or wheel forming techniques, pursuing your own designs.

Dr Cathy Franzi is an award winning ceramicist who utilises her scientific interest in plants to express ideas about the current environment. An experienced tutor, Cathy has taught at ANU and various community workshops nationally. Her work is held in numerous public and private collections and she is represented by Sabbia Gallery and Beaver Galleries.

Build your knowledge of traditional materials, tools and techniques through discussion, demonstration and the completion of set exercises and a small self directed piece. You will work with hammer and hardie* using marble and smalti to extend your skills, understanding of cutting and andamento and how these elements can be applied to contemporary mosaic art.

Rachel Bremner’s mosaics are made predominantly with traditional materials of stone and smalti using traditional tools and techniques. Rachel has studied in the USA and Italy, notably with Paris-based mosaic master Verdiano Marzi. Her award winning work has been exhibited both national and internationally and has been profiled in Craft Arts International and Mosaique Magazine.

Increase your efficiency and confidence at the lathe by working through a wide range of projects designed to develop and refine specific techniques. Each project is simplified or complicated to meet your skill level – going on to extend your skills with lots of demonstrations. Initially concentrating on cutting and chucking techniques, by the end of the week you’ll have turned several pieces or you can work on your own pet project.

Richard Raffan is one of the most respected and sought-after woodturners in the world. Since the publication of Turning Wood in 1984, Richard has led over 500 hands-on workshops mostly in North America and Europe. His books and videos have influenced woodturning techniques and design worldwide.

Learn well-proven approaches to simplify the difficulty when working with curves. In making the semicircular Demilune table you will learn how to lay out curved elements and make jigs for accurate cutting and joinery. The curved aprons will be made and glued in a 2-part form, mostly using hand-tools, but also the sliding table saw, bandsaw, router table and the Domino system. The top is made from edge-jointed timber, curved with the bandsaw and router, and finished with spoke shaves.

Peter Young is a professional studio furniture designer-maker dedicated to excellence, with the aim to design and build furniture that stands the test of time. Peter has trained in Australia as well as Canada and the US, developing a wide range of technical skills which he brings to his professional practice and teaching.